What Spartans ask, get from Oliver: more

Vittorio Tafur

Published
4:00 am PST, Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Adrian Oliverdribbles as the shot clock winds down Saturday night, one defender on him and one lurking nearby. He looks for options, but there aren't any - it's hard to imagine any of his San Jose State teammates got a mention in Utah State's scouting report.

He beats his man, elevates quickly over the other defender and puts up a soft shot that rims out, just as the collision of bodies inside sends him sprawling hard to the floor. He lingers for a minute, picks himself up and heads to the free-throw line.

It is a love pat considering what Oliver's getting on the other end of the court. San Jose State is so small that the 6-foot-4 guard has to defend 6-7 power forward Tai Wesley, whose main offensive move is slamming his shoulder into Oliver.

"I have never minded the rough stuff," Oliver said. "It's fun to me to get pushed and then push back."

The Spartans' junior makes enough jumpers with hands in his face and layups through traffic to finish with 28 points in the 81-65 home loss to Utah State. Oliver is tied for sixth in the country (with Stanford's Landry Fields) with 22.5 points a game and says he is happy here, far from the world of big-time college basketball.

San Jose State's Adrian Oliver is guarded by Utah State's Pooh Williams during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Logan, Utah, on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010.

San Jose State's Adrian Oliver is guarded by Utah State's Pooh Williams during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Logan, Utah, on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010.

Photo: Braden Wolfe, AP

Photo: Braden Wolfe, AP

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San Jose State's Adrian Oliver is guarded by Utah State's Pooh Williams during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Logan, Utah, on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010.

San Jose State's Adrian Oliver is guarded by Utah State's Pooh Williams during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Logan, Utah, on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010.

Photo: Braden Wolfe, AP

What Spartans ask, get from Oliver: more

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San Jose State has lost four in a row to drop to 12-12, and though one could imagine its record without Oliver, one could also imagine enigmatic Washington's record with him.

Oliver was rated the No. 8 point guard in the country out of Modesto Christian High four years ago and had scholarship offers from Kentucky, Gonzaga and Washington. He chose the Huskies, and was part of one of the best recruiting classes in the country, along with Sacramento Kings centerSpencer Hawesand current Huskies forward Quincy Pondexter.

"We recruited Adrian to do special things," Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said. "Unfortunately, it didn't work out at Washington but I always thought he was a very, very good player."

Oliver played in 32 games as a freshman, starting 13, and averaged 4.7 points. He decided to transfer after five games in his sophomore season. Oliver says his grandparents were ill in Modesto and he was homesick, but he was also frustrated at not being a full-time starter and being used at point guard.

"He did want to get back closer to home, he really missed his family," Romar said. "I also think at San Jose State, he has the opportunity to really do a lot more things for them. He is their No. 1 scoring option and he has played well in that role."

Oliver said Cal was hot and heavy after him at that point. He almost signed with-then coach Ben Braunbut just couldn't pull the trigger on losing a season of eligibility, the price of transferring from one Pac-10 school to another.

So even though he had not heard of San Jose State when he was in high school, Oliver visited the campus and liked it. He knew Spartans point guard Justin Graham, a former AAU teammate, liked coach George Nessmanand get this: Oliver said the empty seats at the Event Center spoke to him.

"I want to make history here," he said. "I want to fill the seats, make the postseason and bring some light to San Jose State basketball. The city needed someone else to cheer for besides the Sharks."

One person who came to see the Spartans play last year was Romar, who was in the area to play Cal and Stanford. That implies there are no hard feelings, even though Romar knows his team might be atop the Pac-10 if it still had Oliver.

The Huskies played the Spartans in November and beat them 80-70 - Oliver had 32 points, eight rebounds and four assists - and afterward, it was clear that his former teammates were still a little bitter.

"Adrian, he got what he wanted," Pondexter told reporters. "He got a school where he can score as many points as he wants. But we're winning games. He scored 32, I got the win. ... (Oliver) left me as a teammate. He left me as a friend."

Oliver shrugs when he hears this.

"I don't have one regret," he said.

Once he became eligible last season, Oliver averaged 17.1 points despite dealing with injuries. As a junior, he has six 30-point games and needs one more to tie Ricky Berry's school career record of nine. He is shooting 44 percent from the field, 43 percent from three-point range and averages 5.7 rebounds.

"Adrian makes the right play, and always tries to get his teammates involved," said Nessman, who has a shot at San Jose State's second winning season in 23 years. "Of course, we often just need him to score and he can do that even with defenses shading him and chasing him."

Oliver has scored at least 19 points in 16 of the Spartans' last 17 games and is the leading candidate for WAC Player of the Year.